Fani Willis ordered to pay $54K for violating open records laws in Trump case

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has been ordered to wage much than $54,000 for violating the state’s unfastened records laws successful narration to the prosecution of President Donald Trump.

The county’s Superior Court Judge Rachel Krause formalized her ruling Friday and ordered Willis to wage $54,264 successful attorneys' fees and litigation costs aft "intentionally" failing to supply records requested by Ashleigh Merchant, the lawyer who filed the question to disqualify Willis from prosecuting Trump connected charges of allegedly interfering with the 2020 statesmanlike election.

Krause stated that Willis’ bureau failed to supply documents related to the employment of Nathan Wade, the erstwhile peculiar adjunct territory lawyer forced to resign from the Trump lawsuit owed to his romanticist narration with Willis. 

Merchant believed that Willis and Wade whitethorn person financially benefited from Wade’s assignment arsenic the peculiar authoritative successful the case.

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Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis testifies during a proceeding astatine the Fulton County Courthouse connected Feb. 15, 2024 successful Atlanta. (Alyssa Pointer-Pool/Getty Images)

"Defendants — done the Open Records custodian, Dexter Bond — were openly hostile to counsel for Plaintiff, Ms. Merchant, and testified that Ms. Merchant's requests were handled otherwise than different requests," the tribunal bid said.

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Attorney Ashleigh Merchant is seen astatine the Fulton County Courthouse connected Feb. 16, 2024 successful Atlanta. (Alyssa Pointer)

Bond, who testified that his accustomed signifier was to telephone a requestor to person further accusation to fulfill requests, indicated that helium refused to pass with Merchant by telephone, the tribunal bid stated.

"While determination is no requirement nether the ORA for Mr. Bond to telephone immoderate requestor astir a peculiar request, Mr. Bond's handling of Ms. Merchant's requests successful this mode indicates a lack of bully faith," the bid said. "Defendants’ failures were intentional, not done successful bully faith, and were substantially groundless and vexatious."

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Fulton County Deputy District Attorney Dexter Bond testified successful Fulton County Superior Court connected Sept. 19, 2024. (Fox 5 Atlanta)

Merchant, who reacted to the ruling successful a station connected X Friday, said she was "proud that we have judges consenting to clasp radical successful powerfulness accountable erstwhile they disregard the law!!!!"

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Fox News Digital reached retired to Merchant and Willis’ bureau for further statements but did not instantly person a response.

The DA’s bureau has 30 days from the court’s bid to wage the penalty. The plaintiff besides received injunctive alleviation directing Willis to yet supply the requested documents.